Combined elastic and pneumatic tire.



No. 638,533. Patented Dec. 5, |899.

L. DE F. MUNGER.

COMBINED ELASTIC AND PNEUMATIC TIRE.

(Application filed Apr. 25, 1899.)

(No Model.)

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LOUIS DE F. MUNGER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE NATIONAL VHEEL AND TRACTION COMPANY, OF NEW YORK.

COMBINED ELASTIC AND PNEUMATIC TIRE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 638,588, dated December 5, 1899.

Application filed April 25,1899. Serial No. 714,430. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, LOUIS DE F. MUNGER, of the city of New York, borough of Brooklyn, county of Kings, State of New York, have invented a new and useful Elastic and Pneumatic Tire, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in pneumatic or elastic cushion-tires for vehiclero wheels, its object being to provide an improved means of attachment of the tire to the wheel rim or felly and specially designed for the driving-wheels of automobiles.

To this end my invention consists, essentially, in constructing the tire with a metallic base or band permanently secu red thereon, as by vulcanizing in the manner hereinafter described and claimed,which serves as the means for attaching the tire to the wheel. Thus the zo tire-base instead of the tire is directly attached to the wheel, thereby preventing weakening of or injury to the tire by the attaching devices. Ithas been practicallydemonstrated that the cement and other means commonly used for attaching pneumatic tires to bicyclewheels and the like are ineiiicient for heavy traction -vehieles It has also been found where fittings for fastening the tire to the wheel-rim have been built into the tire itself 3o that such construction greatly weakens the tire, and the tire being secured only at. individual points to the wheel-rim the strain at these points has destructive eect upon the tire.

My invention also comprises such a con struction of the felly and tire base that these parts will be practically self-united, exerting but slight strain`on the bolts securing the base, and yet that the base and tire can be 4o readily and quickly attached to and detached from the felly without the use of special apparatus and while keeping the tire in a state of inflation.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figure l is a crosssection of a tire and a wheel-rim fitted with my improvement. Fig. 2 is a side elevat-ion of a wheel-rim and tire secured thereon by my improvement, and Fig. 3 is a detail of the 5o securing devices.

In the drawings, A represents the tire, B

the wheel rim or felly, and C the metallic base of the tire. This base C, as shown, is made, preferably, of an annular metal tube formed by rolls or otherwise, so that its outer surface or periphery conforms to the shape of the inner periphery of the tire and the inner periphery of the tube conforms to the face of the wheel rim or felly to which it is to be attached. The preferred construction 6o of these various parts is illustrated in Fig. 1, the tire being circular in cross-section and the face of the wheel rim or felly being flat. The face of the felly is slightly inclined or at an angle with the axle, the outer diameter of the wheel being the smaller to form a tapering fit for the tire-base to assist in the work of slipping the tire on or off the wheel for the purpose of attachment or detachment, this angle being slight and hardly discernible in 7c the drawings. The outer side of the base is also longer than the other, so as to form an inclined under surface which will conform to the felly and make the tapered iit described.

Owing to the impracticability of-making a perfectly circular metallic tire or tire-base that will have a close and perfect fit over a metallic circular felly or rim, it is the usual custom either to cut the tire, so as to make free ends, or to make it in two parts and ap-v 8o ply it to the wheel, or to force it thereon under pressure. lVith metallic bands or tires not so applied great difficulty is acquired in producing a close it between the parts and in removing the band or tire after it has been placed in position. With the tapered base and felly of my construction in attaching the base to the felly the larger circumference of the base can be easily slipped over the small outer circumference of the felly and forced over go the inclined surface of the latter into proper position. When in place, these wedge-shaped surfaces form a close fit and also resist any tendency of further inward movement of the band on thefelly, due to strain on the tire in turning corners. By this locking action strain on the securing-bolts of the band will be greatly relieved. In removingthe band it is merely necessary to back off the base slightly from the felly, when it can be easily roo slipped down and off the inclined surface,

In constructing my improvement the tire is vulcanized-upon the tire-base, and a shoulderor rib 2 is formed on each side of the tire to rest upon the folded edge 3 of the base, thus furnishing an additional support for the tire and tending to prevent chang of the saine. Th e rubber at the shoulders is extended down and vulcanized on and over the .folded edge o f the base to form an elastic edge of the tire at that point, whereby When the tire is subjected to a lateral strain or distortion at that point, as on turning the vehicle a short corner, such strain or distortion is taken up by such elastic joint and strain and tearing or loosening of that portion of the tire vulcanized to the face of the base is entirely prevented.

4 and 5 are annular clamp-rings adapted to be secured upon the opposite sides of the felly and projecting outward to bear upon and engage the tire-base. These clamps are preferably secured in place by means of bolts 6 passing through the felly and the rings. To prevent the tire-base from creeping77 or slipping circumferentially between the clamprings, I prefer to provide upon the rings studs or projections 7, which enter corresponding sockets or openings in the tire-base and firmly anchor the latter in place.

It is obvious that various modifications in theform of my improvement may be made Without departing from the idea of my invention, which is to provide a metallic base 'or supporting means secured upon the inner periphery of the tire and as a permanent part thereof and adapted to be detachably connected to the Wheel.

Having thus described my invention, I claiml. In combination with a pneumatic t'i re circular in cross-section and a Wheel-felly, a base consisting of an annular endless metal rim, its outer face or periphery conforming to the shape of the inner periphery of the tire and the inner periphery of the base conforming to the face of the Wheel-felly, means for detachably securing the said base to the tire, the entire surface of the tire that is in contact with base vulcanized thereto, substantially as described.

2. In combination with a pneumatic tire and Wheel-felly, a base consisting of an endless detachable annular metal rim, its outer face 0r periphery conforming to the shape of the ceases side With a shoulder and said base providedn with opposite folded edges fitting against said shoulders, the shouldersvof said tire extending over said folded 'edges and saidtire vulcanized to the base and its folded edges, substantially as described.

s. In Combination with a wheel-felly, a,

pneumatic tire circular in cross-section and provided with shoulders on opposite sides, a base provided with folded edges to fit in and under said shoulders, said tire vulcanized on and over the sides of the folded edges Whereby a closed and eiastic joint is formed at the junction of said tire and edges, and means t0 detachably secure said base to said felly, substantially as described. 1

et. In combination with a tapered felly, a tire, an annular rigid base Yto Which said tire is secured, said base having a tapered under surface and fitted on said felly, substantially as described.

5. In combination, a Wheel-felly, a tire of the class described, an annular, sheet-metal tube fitted to and secured upon the inner periphery of said tire and also fitted to the face of said felly, annular clamping-rings fitted t0 the sides of said fellyand provided With suit-- able securing devices, and means upon said clamping-rings for engaging said base, as and for the purposes specified.

6. In combination, a Wheel-felly, a tire of vthe class described, an annular, metallic tube fitted to, and permanently secured upon, the inner periphery of the tire and also fitted to the face of the felly, the ribs or shoulders upon the tire fitted to, and bearing upon, the folded edges of said tube, the annular clamping-rings fitted to the sides of lthe felly, the securin g devices for attaching the same to the felly, and means for interlocking said clamping-rings with said tube, consisting of projections upon one part entering corresponding sockets or openings in the other, as and for the purposes speciiied.

Signed at New York city, New York, this 24th day of April, 1899. LOUIS DE F. MUNGER. Vitnesses:

AUGUSTUS LEE, Jr. T. D. MERWIN. 

